Well, well, well. These are indeed scary times for college football programs, what with all the poaching going on. And it’s not just players; coaches are getting snatched up too. But here’s some good news, especially for USC Trojans fans. Their head coach, Lincoln Riley, has made it crystal clear he’s not jumping ship to the NFL. Even though this $110 million man has clearly fallen in love with the Trojans, it seems someone’s about to make sure he stays put. And that someone might just be one of his “difficult” hires.

Riley’s been hearing his name linked to NFL jobs since his Oklahoma days back in 2017—it’s an annual thing now. Back then with the Sooners, the HC led the program to three straight appearances in the College Football Playoff in his first three seasons in Norman. Sadly, he failed to carry this glitz and glamor to USC, but that did not stop his name from circling whenever the NFL discussion comes up. That’s what On3 alayst J.D. PicKell addressed on the podcast, calling him a “trendy” name in NFL “hot boards.” And what did Riley have to say?

Like always, the Trojans HC had shut down all the rumors. Looks like Riley has given his long-term commitment to USC when he signed the 10-year, $110 million contract prior to the 2022 season. This made him among the highest-paid coaches in college football with the biggest coaching buyouts. Luckily, the Trojans will not have to think of a buyout anytime soon. “I just try to stay focused on the job that I have. I keep my feet just be where my feet are. I love this place. I sacrificed a lot, me and my family…I believe much in this program. We gave up so much to be here,” stated the HC.  

Now the love is evident. He’s got a knack for developing Heisman-caliber players, and under his leadership, USC boasts an impressive 80% winning record. So, it begs the question: why doesn’t he make the leap to the NFL? But Riley’s answer shuts down all the questions: “So, it’s flattering; it’s nice when people say that. It’s not a long-term goal of mine. I love college football. I love coaching at USC. I love the job that I have.” He ended the statement with a sweet note, “It’s nice of them to say but I’m a Trojan.” So, what makes Riley so confident about his USC future?

Lincoln Riley’s bold pursuit of Chad Bowden 

Forget players; when it came to personnel, Riley ensured to land the best ones, even though it had not been a cakewalk. One such example has been Chad Bowden as their new general manager. Hiring Bowden from Notre Dame was a crucial move for the Trojans, as he might be that one X-factor that USC needs to succeed. That’s when Riley jumped into the race to land him. Not many know that when Bowden left Indiana for Los Angeles, he has been staying in Riley’s guesthouse—his casita.

Over that period, he had a heart-to-heart chat with Riley. Bowden later shared, “A lot of things that he talked about with me as to why he chose to come with USC, they aligned with how I felt.” However, as it might sound easy, that surely has not been the case. As the Trojans HC opened up to PicKell, “It’s one of the most challenging hires.” What made him say so?

“You’re entering a salary cap era, you know, so there’s the appeal of people with Pro experience,” answered Riley. In that case, he had to fight the urge not to go after someone with NFL experience but rather someone with experience in college. Now do doubts loom in Riley’s heart? 

Absolutely not! Lincoln Riley stated, “He’s going to make a huge difference in our program. I’m excited to be working hand-in-hand with him. We knew it was an essential part of our future and again I just don’t think it could have turned out any better for the Trojans.” Turning down the NFL to stay with USC was a major gamble—only time will tell if Lincoln Riley made the right call.